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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23424250">The Long And Winding Road</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/'>Anonymous</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Childhood Friends AU, M/M, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Bucky Barnes, Omega Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 09:55:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>708</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23424250</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Growing up is hard, but some bumps can be eased when you have someone at your side.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Anonymous</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Long And Winding Road</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony’s family moved into the house built like a Jenga tower when Bucky was four. He didn't know that until his Ma showed him pictures. To Bucky, the Starks had always lived across the street. Yet, tucked in a scrapbook there were a few polaroids of baby faced brunet’s pulling daisies from the Stark’s box covered yard.</p><p>****</p><p>They had been together since Bucky was seven and Tony was six.</p><p>Bucky knew because that's when Tony first kissed him on the cheek after playing house. It had been a really loud kiss too: the type that smacked like a flip flop on the asphalt. </p><p><br/>
“Why’d ya do that?” Bucky had asked, his face felt hot like when his Ma forgot to put sunscreen on his nose.</p><p>"Cause tha's what husbands do," Tony explained, red-faced while clutching his dolly to his chest, "I know so, I saw's it on TV once."</p><p>The way Tony's eyes sparkled like fancy marbles had Bucky's stomach tied in knots for days afterward.</p><p><br/>
***</p><p>A couple of days later, Bucky had to start asking questions. Playing house was one thing: they already had the baby and the plastic toys, but being grown up and doing the work was another.</p><p>“When we’re husbands,” Bucky started while digging a sandpit, “who's gonna do what?”</p><p>Tony's freckled face screwed up as he built his teddy-bear-sand tower.</p><p>“Well, I can have the babies, and look after them and kiss ‘em an’ hug ‘em. And...you can do the gardening.”</p><p>For the most part, it sounded good - Bucky remembered when his Ma was pregnant with Becca and that didn't look comfortable at all. On the other hand...</p><p>“That doesn't sound fair,” Bucky protested, “I don’ wanna be like my Pops! I wanna hug our babies too!” </p><p>“We can take turns doing that,” Tony conceded easily, “but what about kissin’ ‘em?” </p><p>Bucky pointedly stared at his feet as Tony lodged a twig on top of his tower.</p><p>“M no good at that.”</p><p>“Well then you can cook dinner too,” Tony paused, considering something,”An’ you can kiss ‘em really gentle after bedtime stories.”</p><p>Bucky thought it over - maybe if he kissed them on the head, like his Ma did before goodnight, that would be okay. </p><p>***</p><p>Bucky met Steve when the summer ended in the Grade One-Two-Split class. Bucky hadn't really made many friends by that point. They thought Tony was wimpy because he didn't like to play rough with them, so Bucky decided they weren't Friends, just people you could goof off with in class.</p><p>Steve was new though, and a little off-ish: scuffing his sneakers and turning tomato red when Ms.Hill caught him doodling on his desk. But he also got really angry, in the snotty tearful way,when Darcy purposefully Donkey Konged in 4-Square because:</p><p>“--Sam said no Donkey Konging, and he's King, and you can't break the rules, and--” </p><p>He obviously needed a friend to protect him, just like Tony. Bucky knew where the Goose paper was, who you could bribe to be on your team during 4-Square, and which girls would pull on your hair, so he was Steve's only chance at surviving in Ms.Hill’s class. </p><p>*** </p><p>Steve and Tony got along like a house on fire. Steve was fascinated by Tony’s latest interest in robots and his curly hair while Tony was beyond impressed with Steve’s drawings. </p><p>Bucky thought that things were perfect. </p><p>*** </p><p>Then Tony got transferred to the Grade Four class. Bucky thought it would be okay since they'd still hangout during recess, but Steve got into all sorts of trouble Bucky had to fish him out of, and Tony was nowhere to be seen. </p><p>*** </p><p>Tony had a new friend. And it was fine. </p><p>Really it was. </p><p>*** </p><p>Bucky started tally marking the days since Tony came over after school. By day fourteen Steve recommended getting a harmonica. </p><p>“It would make ya look cowboy-ish. And I know my Mamaí has one I can borrow.”</p><p>“I don't see how a harmonica can help, Stevie,” Bucky replied, glaring at his notebook like it’d make everything feel better. </p><p>“Tony plays piano, ‘m sure he'd appreciate the music.” </p><p>“How’s he gonna hear me if he never goes outside?” </p><p>“I dunno...I just miss him. And it's better than doing nothing?” </p>
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